Daeyoung Park

When the cards went in the air on the final day of the APT National Cup - Sponsored by DeepRun, Daeyoung Park was sitting tenth in chips with 1,205,000. By the time they stopped flying, he was the last man standing.

Park navigated a record-breaking field of 2,940 entries; the largest APT tournement ever played, defeating Yoong Shen Ding heads-up following an ICM deal to take home TWD 3,548,400 (~USD 113,730), the silver lion silhouette trophy, and a USD $10,000 APTC Main Event seat.

APT National Cup Final Table Results

*Reflects ICM deal

Final Day Action

148 players returned to their seats, already guaranteed a share of the TWD 28,929,600 (~USD 927,230) prize pool. Early on, the stacks were still playable and the eliminations came gradually, with familiar faces falling throughout the morning session.

Chien Chih Weng

Chien Chih Weng provided one of the early talking points, finding herself down to just 35,000 with a pay jump looming. She committed her stack from the small blind and was called by Ding in the big blind, who tabled pocket threes against her jack-seven. A jack on the flop kept her alive, and a seven on the river sealed the double; a small moment that would prove significant later, allowing her to ladder up to a 14th place exit for TWD 195,700 (~USD 6,270).

Rob Hollink was among the more notable casualties as the field thinned, running his king-queen into the ace-jack of Chia Ta Tsai and hitting the rail. Akshay Nasa came agonisingly close to the final table, only to run ace-four into Sunny Cheung's pocket aces and earn the unwanted title of final table bubble boy.

The Final Table

Top L-R: Li Chiang Lu, Sunny Cheung, Yongwon Jo, Yoong Shen Ding, Chu Yang Chiang Bottom L-R: Hsi Yung Du, Quang Trinh Do, Daeyoung Park, Wing Yin Szeto

With the final nine set, it was Quang Trinh Do who became the first to fall. After being crippled by Hsi Yung Du when a four on the turn gave Du a pair to overtake Do's ace-five, Do committed his last 125,000 in the very next hand and ran jack-four into Wing Yin Szeto's pocket nines, exiting in ninth for TWD 305,500 (~USD 9,790).

Szeto himself didn't last much longer. With a short stack, he found himself forced all-in from the big blind against Park's pocket eights, his pocket sixes unable to improve on a clean runout, ending his run in eighth for TWD 379,700 (~USD 12,170).

Wing Yin Szeto

Cheung was next to go, and in unfortunate fashion. With ace-high and the nut flush draw on the flop against Ding's king-eight, Cheung looked well placed for the double. The turn brought Ding a gutshot, and the river completed it: a runner-runner straight in the cruelest fashion sending Cheung out in seventh for TWD 541,400 (~USD 17,350).

A floor ruling played a central role in Li Chiang Lu's exit in sixth. Ding had attempted to min-raise without realising Lu had already put in a full raise, and when he tried to fold after his verbal announcement, the floor ruled his hand live and forced the raise to 10,400,000. Lu moved all-in and the two showed down, with Ding's queen-nine finding a pair on the turn to overtake Lu's pocket sevens. Lu departed in sixth for TWD 737,400 (~USD 23,635).

Li Chiang Lu

Hsi Yung Du fell in fifth when his ace-ten ran into Ding's dominating ace-queen, finding no help on the runout and taking TWD 1,018,600 (~USD 32,650) with him.

Four-handed, it was Yongwon Jo — the hooded mystery man who had been one of the most entertaining characters of the day — who bowed out in dramatic fashion. Park check-called Jo's continuation bet on the flop before immediately shoving the turn. Jo called off around 20,000,000 with ace-ten, only to see Park table king-nine for a pair. The river changed nothing, ending Jo's day in fourth for TWD 1,313,900 (~USD 42,110).

Yongwon Jo gave nothing away all day

Chu Yang Chiang went deep and fought hard, doubling through both Lu and Jo at key moments to stay alive, but ultimately couldn't overcome the two big stacks three-handed. He departed in third for TWD 1,733,700 (~USD 55,570).

Heads Up

When heads-up play began, the stacks were closely matched, with Park holding a marginal edge. The early exchanges were measured, with both players probing rather than committing, and Ding edged ahead after picking off a pair on the river to take one of the first meaningful pots.

Yoong Shen Ding

Park clawed back steadily, winning a succession of small pots and keeping the pressure on before a pivotal moment swung things dramatically in his favour. With Ding whittled down to around 20,000,000, Park shoved the button and Ding called with ten-eight suited against Park's eight-seven. Ding flopped top pair and looked set to double, but the turn and river both came tens — Park had made quads and suddenly held a commanding lead.

Park and Ding Agreed to an ICM Deal

With the stacks close enough to deal, the two players agreed to an ICM arrangement before continuing to play for the title, trophy, and APTC seat. After the handshake, Park picked up exactly where he left off, opening repeatedly and watching Ding fold, bleeding his stack away hand by hand. Ding made a stand with ace-king against Park's pocket jacks and flopped the nut flush to double back into contention.

It wasn't to be for Ding, however. In the final hand, he got his chips in ahead with ace-ten, looking good against Park's ace-six, only for Park to spike a six on the flop and river the nut flush to seal the win.

From tenth in chips at the start of the day to champion by the end of it: Daeyoung Park takes the title, the trophy, and everything that comes with it – including his maiden live tournament title and a career-high score almost 21,120 percent larger than his previous best result. Not bad for a couple of days of poker...

Daeyoung Park has done it. After outlasting a record-breaking field of 2,940 entries, the Korean defeated Yoong Shen Ding heads-up to claim the APT National Cup title. He takes away TWD 3,548,400 (~USD 113,730) as per the ICM deal, the lion trophy, and a USD $10,000 APTC Main Event seat to go with it.

Congratulations, Daeyoung! A well-deserved win.

A full recap of the day's action will be posted shortly.

Yoong Shen Ding

Button Daeyoung Park raised to 5,000,000 before calling big blind Yoong Shen Ding's shove for around 43,000,000. With the preflop stacks similar in size, it was unclear whether this was for Ding's tournament life until the counts were confirmed.

Yoong Shen Ding: A T

Daeyoung Park: A 6

Ding had Park dominated, but the Korean found his out on the 3 6 9 flop, flopping a pair and picking up the flush draw. The K 2 runout completed the nut flush, and after the counts were confirmed, Park did indeed have Ding covered, sending Ding to the rail in second place for TWD 3,089,400 (~USD 98,127) as per the ICM deal.

Yoong Shen Ding

Yoong Shen Ding opened to 4,800,000 and Daeyoung Park moved all in, covering Ding's remaining 23,000,000 stack. It didn't take long for Ding to call, and the players flipped for the tournament trophy.

Yoong Shen Ding: A K

Daeyoung Park: J J

It was a classic flip, with Ding looking to improve to stay alive.

Ding hit the nut flush on the Q 9 T flop, but there was a sweat for the table after seeing the 9 turn.

Park didn't find a nine or non-diamond jack on the 6 river, and the pair continued to battle for the trophy, as Ding regained a slight lead.

Daeyong Park

After a deal was reached, action resumed with Daeyong Park having the clear chip lead.

A number of hands saw Park continue to climb after opening pre-flop and seeing a number of folds from Yoong Shen Ding.

In a recent hand, Ding limped and Park checked.

The pair saw the 6 K Q flop and Ding bet 3,000,000. Park called and the pair checked down 8 turn to see the 3 river. Park picked up the pace and bet out 8,000,000 which saw Ding fold.

A few hands later, in another limp pot, the pair saw a 7 A 4 flop.

Ding checked, Park bet 3,000,000 and Ding called.

The 5 turn saw Ding check-fold after facing a 6,000,000 bet by Park.

The two remaining players have struck a deal. Daeyoung Park has locked up TWD 3,386,400 (~USD 108,520) and Yoong Shen Ding TWD 3,089,400 (~USD 99,020), with TWD 162,000 (~USD 5,195) remaining to play for along with the title, APTC seat, and trophy.

Players take a short break to discuss a heads-up deal.

Yoong Shen Ding

Yoong Shen Ding had seen his small chip advantage vanish since the start of heads-up play, finding himself down to around 20,000,000 with the remaining 60,000,000 in Daeyoung Park's possession.

Park shoved his covering stack from the button, and after a jovial "let's gamble" from Ding, the two tabled their cards.

Yoong Shen Ding: T 8

Daeyoung Park: 8 7

Ding's gapper had Park's connector dominated, and the 3 7 T flop gave both players a piece, but Ding remained on top.

The T T runout then casually improved Park to quads, securing the double in the most emphatic fashion possible.

Daeyoung Park

The second hand into heads up saw Yoong Shen Ding min-raise and Daeyoung Park call from the big blind.

The 7 J 5 flop was checked by Park and Ding bet 3,000,000. Park stuck arond to see the T turn which was checked by both to get to a 8 river.

Both checked to showdown with Park showing 5 4 , but Ding had a better pair holding A 7 .

Ding still had the slight chip lead, but he found himself loosing some back to Park after folding a number of hands to Parks raises.

After around seven hands which didn't make it past a flop, one hand saw Park take a slight edge on Ding's stack.

Park limped and Ding checked, taking the pair to a flop. The dealer fanned the 2 J 8 which prompted another check from Ding. Park bet 2,000,000 and Ding called.

Both quickly checked the 9 turn and Ding check-called a 5,000,000 bet by Park after seeing the 3 river.

Ding showed 7 3 and had picked up bottom pair on the river. Park took the pot with the better kicker flipping over Q 3 .

After outlasting a record-breaking field of 2,940 entries, Yoong Shen Ding and Daeyoung Park are the last two standing in the APT National Cup.

Each has locked up a minimum of TWD 2,508,800 (~USD 80,410), but both will have their eyes on the top prize of TWD 4,129,000 (~USD 132,340), along with the title, the TWD 311,000 (~USD 10,000) APTC Main Event seat, and the iconic trophy that comes with the win.